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Hotels built in precarious places
  • One of the most elevated mountain inns in the Dolomites at 2,752m, Rifugio Lagazuoi is nestled on the summit of Mount Lagazuoi above Passo Falzarego and is reached by hiking or the Lagazuoi cable car. Its spacious deck is famous for the breathtaking views of the Dolomite peaks and makes for an incredible spot to watch the sunset or sunrise.
  • Perched on a 50-foot pedestal in Costa Rica's Manuel Antonio National Park, this vintage Boeing 727 fuselage-turned-hotel suite at the Costa Verde Hotel, affords views that will make you feel like flying. The unique hotel suite boasts scenic ocean and jungle views from the hard wood deck built on top the plane's former right wing.

  • Alila Jabal Akhdar (meaning the Green Mountain) is set in a previously unexplored mountainous area of Oman, about 150km from Muscat. The resort is perched 2,000 metres above sea level, overlooking a dramatic gorge and surrounded by awe-inspiring views of the Al Hajar Mountains. Reached by 4x4, cliff top hotel Alila Jabal Akhdar is the first design resort in the area, combining sustainable architecture with a true sense of place.
  • Eco-hotel LEAPrus 3912 is set at a dizzying height of 4,000 metres on the southern side of Mount Elbrus in Russia. The four fibreglass tubes offer enough room for 49 mountain climbers, with communal bedrooms and lounge areas in two of the tubes, while a third houses a restaurant. The hotel has a system which melts snow to supply water for sanitation and a hybrid system that produces electricity.
  • For those who appreciate a good view and don’t suffer from vertigo, the Caesar Augustus on Capri might be just be the place. The hotel itself sits on a cliff edge some 1,000ft above sea level, and on a clear day it's easy to see the entire Bay of Naples, including the neighbouring island of Ischia, the mainland town of Sorrento and the summit of Mount Vesuvius. The two-tier striking infinity pool is a perfect spot to soak up the surroundings; perched on the cliff too, it is completely worth the risk of being so close to the vertical descent over the pool edge!

  • Highly popular among hikers, walkers and bird watchers, Hotel Mirador hangs off the side of a huge cliff in Copper Canyon, Mexico. Situated near the highest point of the Canyon’s rim, the hotel is home to 65 luxurious rooms and suites, decorated and furnished to reflect the local Tarahumara Indian culture and all with a private, vertigo-inducing terrace overlooking the Mexican Valley. The hotel's popularity with hikers and walkers is due to the many spectacular routes nearby, including the five-mile round trip to the Tarahumara Ranch of Wakajípare or the 12-mile round trip to the Urique River.
  • Gorges Lodge was built on a stilted decking of indigenous hard wood on the edge of the Batoka Gorge, some 200 awe-inspiring metres above the mighty croc-infested Zambezi River in Zimbabwe. A mere 30-minute drive from Victoria Falls town, the lodge offers a unique Victoria Falls experience from a peaceful and idyllic base. It is famous for its spectacular views and whether you are enjoying a cup of coffee at sunrise on your private veranda or a cool refreshment by the pool at sunset, you will be constantly drawn to the stunning vistas provided by the Batoka Gorge and the rushing of the Zambezi River below.

  • This spectacular former 17th-century monastery has been restored into just 20 sea view guest rooms and suites on the iconic Amalfi Coast. Directly built into the side of a cliff providing breathtaking views over the Gulf of Salerno, guests can wile away hours between Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa's heated infinity pool, stunning landscaped gardens spread over five tiers and the unique Spa that has been created within a labyrinth of historic monastic spaces and outdoor pavilions.

  • Surrounded by 95,000 hectares of private reserve and wild bush land, elevated Saruni Samburu was built into flat rocks in the Kalama Conservancy and offers stunning panoramic views thanks to its dramatic hill-top setting. A water hole is situated just below the lodge and guests can watch elephant, leopard and gerenuk come and go from the comfort of the swimming pool. The view even extends to Mount Kenya.

  • New boutique hotel Iconic Santorini boasts a spectacular hillside setting and was literally carved from Santorini's volcanic caldera wall, offering jaw-dropping views of the azure waters below from the five hotel levels. Each room has private veranda seating high above the majestic wonders of the ancient volcanic island, rising from the Aegean Sea below.

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